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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rule — government
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stock — shares
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rule — a law
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com